NCDC assures on Monkeypox containment

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed its awareness of two confirmed cases of Monkeypox in the United Kingdom (UK) in patients with a recent travel history from Nigeria.

The centre stated that since the re-emergence of Monkeypox in Nigeria last September, NCDC has continued to get reports and respond to cases of the disease from states across the country. Between last September, when the outbreak started and last month, a total of 262 suspected cases have been reported from 26 states.

Of these, 113 have been confirmed in 16 states and seven deaths with the highest number reported in the Southsouth.

In a statement made available to The Nation, the Centre said following the recent report of the two cases in the UK, it has been working with the UK’s public health agency; Public Health England (PHE), the public health departments in the affected states and other partners in Nigeria to investigate these cases.

“The NCDC has also been working with states to strengthen surveillance, detection and response to cases of Monkeypox,” explained Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, CEO, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), adding: “A Technical Working Group coordinated by NCDC and comprising partners from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, US Centres for Disease Control (US CDC) and other agencies, meet weekly to ensure coordination. In addition, NCDC met with stakeholders recently, including surveillance officers and case management physicians from all affected states to review the actions taken so far and strategise on how to strengthen the country’s response.”

Monkeypox is a virus that is spread primarily from animals to humans, with symptoms, such as fever, headache, body pain, malaise, lymphadenopathy (enlargement of glands), sore throat and the typical generalised vesicular rash. This may last for two to four weeks. Transmission is via direct contact with infected animals, human, or contaminated materials. The virus does not spread easily between people and the risk of transmission to the wider public is very low.

Monkeypox is self-limiting, which means patients tend to recover in a couple of weeks. However, supportive care and management of the condition is required and mostly successful. Control measures include isolation of suspected or confirmed cases, strict adherence to universal precautions, especially frequent handwashing with soap and water and the use of personal protective equipment.